17 at Sawgrass. Great hole or Gimmick?

When you think of TPC Sawgrass the first hole that comes to mind is 17. It may be the poster child for signature holes if there was one. And that is on a course filled with signature holes.

There has been a lot of conversation over the years about 17 and if it is a great hole or a gimmick. Some people claim that they don’t like where it falls in the round and you can get penalized to the point of it costing you the golf tournament if you hit a poor shot. Just ask Sean O’Hair if he likes the hole.

Having been there and seen the hole in action we LOVE IT! Its a point where there is seven seconds when after you hit the ball your heart stops and you wait for your ball to land either on the green or in the water.

Its 135 yards from the back tees. Its short enough that every player has a chance to hit the green. Yet there is so much lurking around the green that your fate can easily be decided by a poor shot.

Sure there have been players like Fred Couples who have made and ace (and a par from the tee after hitting one in the water) or Rickie Fowler who made a 2 there 3 times in a row on Sunday en route to his victory. Or players like Craig Perks or Vijay Singh who have birdied it on the way to their victory there, but making a 3 there is a great score and should not be criticized. Just ask Henrick Stenson if he would trade his three from 17 when he won his Players Championship.

17 at Sawgrass is the most photographed hole in golf. There is great reason for this. It is awesome. There are so many par 3’s out there that are over 200 yards but we think that the 3 best par 3’s in golf are under 155 yards. If you are wondering what they are its 17 at Sawgrass, 7 at Pebble Beach and 12 at Augusta National.

Dads Say So we love 17. Its an amazing hole that fits in perfectly where it is. From the moment a player tees off to the moment they get there the hole is in the back of their mind. If you read our post yesterday you saw how it played a part in the outcome of the 1998 Players and Steve had a front row seat. If you have never been to The Players or played the course you need to experience it at least once. The first time you see 17 is something you will never forget. It may not be the longest but it is the most fun. Just count to seven and wonder where your golf ball is.

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